Computer won't power on at all...

[vivid_vibe]

Out of the blue the other night, my computer just turned off. Now it won't power back up. I swapped the power supply with a known working one and it does the same thing. I tried disconnecting all devices except cpu and ram and it won't power on. I even tried each stick of ram separately (there are two) to no avail. I made sure the power-on wire was seated firmly on the mobo, it was. I didn't smell any odors such as burning, etc. The CPU wasn't overly hot or anything prior to that. When I do hit the power switch, briefly just for an instant, I see the CPU activity light flicker, but nothing else happens. Please guys, I need some advice on what to do next. I'm thinking it may be a bad mobo, but I'm not completely sure. I hope it's nothing serious, such as a fried CPU. Thanks alot.

vivid

 

[lancer]

to me it sounds like a cpu failure

 

[fimchick]

Try taking out the CPU and powering on, it should still come on. If it doesn't, it's the CPU, I've seen it happen before.

 

[Jay300zx]

If its an ATX the cpu needs to be in to power on as it controls a power line??

 

[lancer]

hmmmhmmm, you tell is brother, preach it brother aaaaaamen!!

 

[fimchick]

Here's a nice diagram to rule out the power supply

 

[fimchick]

Another one on mobo/cpu/ram

 

[fimchick]

Jay, you may be right, it may have been an AT not an ATX that worked w/out the CPU.

Vivid, also, try this -- take out the mobo, put it on a static-free object, plug in the cpu, memory and power supply and see if it turns on. If it does, put in the video card and see if you get video. If this works then you have a short somewhere between your mobo and case.

 

[fimchick]

By the way -- if you've been turning your pc on and off while trying to fix it, and the CPU fan hasn't been turning on with it, you may or may not have already fried the CPU. Turning on the power w/out the CPU fan working (even for a few seconds) is enough to fry it.

 

[vivid_vibe]

Fimchick, thanks for all of your suggestions. I'm off to try some of them now.

vivid